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Delhi Capitals' must-win IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings in Dharamshala came with two major bowling absences. Kuldeep Yadav was missing from DC's XI after a poor season by his standards, while Lockie Ferguson was ruled out for Punjab Kings due to a slight niggle.
Axar Patel won the toss and chose to bowl first on a fresh surface, saying the new ball could offer early help for fast bowlers. That partly explains Delhi’s pace-heavy combination. Punjab, on the other hand, made only one change, handing an IPL debut to Australian left-arm seamer Ben Dwarshuis in place of Ferguson.
Kuldeep Yadav dropped as DC make 5 changes
Kuldeep Yadav's absence appears to be a tactical and form-based call rather than an injury issue. The left-arm wrist-spinner has endured a disappointing IPL 2026, taking only seven wickets in 11 matches at an average of 50.29 and an economy rate of 10.67. Those numbers are far from the impact DC would expect from one of their senior Indian bowlers.
With DC in a must-win situation, Axar Patel and the team management have clearly decided to shake things up. DC made five changes, bringing in Abishek Porel, Sahil Parakh, David Miller, Madhav Tiwari and Auqib Nabi. That is not a minor tweak; it is a full reset from a side that has been losing key moments through the season.
Axar admitted at the toss that DC have not been playing terrible cricket, but have failed to win crucial phases with bat, ball and in the field. Leaving Kuldeep Yadav out fits that pattern. DC needed something different, and on a fresh Dharamshala wicket, they have backed extra pace and fresh faces.
Dharamshala Pitch pushes DC towards pace
The conditions also played a role in Kuldeep Yadav's omission. Since the start of 2023, teams batting first have won four of the five IPL matches played in Dharamshala, but Axar still chose to chase because he felt the pitch could help fast bowlers early.
'It’s a fresh wicket and there’s help for fast bowlers early on,' was the thinking from the DC camp. With square boundaries of 63 and 65 metres and a 72-metre straight boundary, Dharamshala can still be high-scoring, but the new ball often has life because of the conditions.
That explains why DC went with Mitchell Starc, Lungi Ngidi, Mukesh Kumar and Auqib Nabi. Axar himself can provide spin, so DC may have felt they did not need to carry Kuldeep when he has not been taking wickets or controlling the run rate.
PBKS pacer Lockie Ferguson out with slight niggle
Unlike Kuldeep Yadav, Lockie Ferguson's absence is injury-related. PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer confirmed at the toss that Ferguson has a slight niggle and that Ben Dwarshuis comes into the XI in his place.
Ferguson's pace is always a weapon, especially on grounds where the ball can carry, so PBKS will miss his hit-the-deck speed. But the word “slight” suggests Punjab are being careful rather than dealing with a major injury. At this stage of the tournament, teams often avoid risking fast bowlers if there is even a small physical concern.
PBKS vs DC: Ben Dwarshuis makes IPL debut for Punjab Kings
Ferguson’s absence has opened the door for Ben Dwarshuis to make his IPL debut. The Australian left-arm seamer was handed his PBKS cap before the match and joins an attack featuring Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Dwarshuis gives Punjab another left-arm angle, which could be useful against DC's top order. With KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, Sahil Parakh, Tristan Stubbs and David Miller in Delhi’s batting unit, Punjab will want early wickets to avoid being dragged into a high-scoring chase.
Shreyas said PBKS did not want to overthink the points table and instead wanted to trust their instincts. Bringing in Dwarshuis for Ferguson is a forced change, but it also gives Punjab a fresh bowling option at a venue where seamers may enjoy the early overs.
PBKS vs DC Playing XIs
Delhi Capitals XI: KL Rahul (wk), Abishek Porel, Sahil Parakh, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Axar Patel (c), Madhav Tiwari, Mukesh Kumar, Auqib Nabi Dar, Mitchell Starc, Lungi Ngidi.
Punjab Kings XI: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Suryansh Shedge, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Ben Dwarshuis, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.
